If you or someone you love were harmed due to a faulty or defective product, the Chicago personal injury attorneys at Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates can help.

We’ve helped clients recover compensation for injuries caused by faulty construction equipment, vehicle parts, medical devices, and more.

Talk to a Chicago product lawyer with Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates to schedule a free consultation. You can call (800) 985-1819 or contact us online.

What steps should you take if a dangerous or defective product injures you?

Following these steps could protect your health and preserve critical evidence in your case.

1. Hold on to the product

Keep each part of the product, including the instructions and packaging.

2. Visit the doctor

Get medical help immediately so a doctor can conduct a thorough examination of your injuries and provide the appropriate treatment. Not only will this help minimize the effects of your injury, but it will also create a record of the harm you’ve suffered.

3. Keep notes about your injuries in the days and weeks after the incident

Another thing you can do to help your case is to take detailed notes of the injuries you’ve experienced. Write down treatments and the progression of your injuries. It would help if you also made a note of the way the injuries have affected your daily activities, your ability to work, and the effect they’ve had on your mood or mental state.

4. Speak with a Chicago product liability lawyer

The attorneys with Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates have a deep understanding of product liability laws. They will make sure you know your rights and will keep you informed throughout the process.

Our Chicago personal injury attorneys also know how to pursue compensation against those responsible for your suffering and how to secure maximum compensation.

Types of product liability cases

Our firm has extensive experience helping people injured due to negligence committed by manufacturers, including the following circumstances.

1. Manufacturing defects

Even a relatively minor mistake made during the manufacturing of a product can lead to significant harm. Whether the error only affects one unit on an assembly line or all of them, the effects could be devastating. Manufacturers may use the wrong size bolts or screws on a wheelchair or install a defective braking system in a car.

2. Design defects

A design defect exists even before the product is manufactured. It’s a flaw that can affect all products of the line. Here are a few examples of design defects:

  • An electronic device that catches fire even when used as directed
  • A car that’s too top-heavy and rolls over during sharp turns

3. Marketing defects (failure to warn)

Not only could the manufacturer face liability, but so could the company hired to market the product. They might have failed to communicate all of the potential dangers properly, provided confusing instructions, or didn’t reasonably warn of potential hazards associated with the product.

4. Breach of warranty

Most products come with some warranty. A consumer may be able to file a breach of warranty lawsuit if a product fails to work correctly.

Make sure you file a claim before the deadline.

In Illinois, the deadline for filing a personal injury lawsuit based on a product liability claim is two years from the date of the incident.

This deadline is known as the statute of limitations. Injury victims will lose their chance to sue if they let the deadline pass before filing.

What are possible damages you could claim?

The word “damages” refers to the monetary losses you’ve suffered after being injured due to someone else’s negligence. The two main categories of damages are economic and non-economic.

Economic damages

These damages are often referred to as “tangible” because they are proven using invoices, receipts, estimates, pay stubs, and other similar documents. Economic damages include recovery for medical expenses, rehabilitation, therapy, lost wages and benefits because the injury limits the victim’s ability to work, and more.

Non-economic damages

Non-economic damages, on the other hand, are subjective. No one can place a monetary value on the loss of quality of life, mental and emotional distress, pain and suffering, and other intangible damages.

Our attorneys work hard to get you the maximum compensation

A Chicago product liability lawyer with Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates has a great deal of experience helping clients who were harmed by products they trusted. We aggressively pursue compensation on our client’s behalf by holding manufacturers and other liable parties accountable for their negligence.

What are common product liability injuries?

There are several ways defective products can cause injuries. For example, consumers can suffer broken bones, electrocutions, or burns due to defective equipment and appliances. Some common examples of dangerous household appliances include ranges or ovens with a gas leak that causes an explosion, dishwashers causing electrocutions due to faulty wiring, and fires caused by dryers.

Who may be liable for your injury

Your defective product lawyer in Chicago will investigate the incident that caused your injury to determine how you were injured and who’s to blame. Here’s a look at some of the parties that might be responsible.

Product manufacturer

All manufacturers of consumer products must make sure those products are safe to use. When they fail to meet that duty, an injury victim can file a lawsuit against them.

Parts manufacturer

If someone suffers severe injuries in a car accident caused by defective brakes, they could sue the manufacturer of the braking system as well as the car manufacturer, obtaining significantly more compensation in the process.

Wholesaler

Wholesalers typically act as go-betweens. Manufacturers sell their products to wholesalers, and then wholesalers sell the products to retailers. If a wholesaler knows that a product has a potentially dangerous defect and still chooses to sell it to a retail operation, that wholesaler could be held liable, too.

Retail store

The same principle applies to retailers. If they knowingly purchase defective products from wholesalers and then make those products available to the public, they could also face liability. Retailers must tell consumers of any possible dangers associated with a product. If they fail in this duty or fail to recall products that are shown to be dangerous, they could be targeted with legal action.

Product installer

You might have had an appliance installed or your electrical system repaired. A mechanic may have performed extensive work on your car. If anyone altered a product in an unsafe manner, and you suffered harm due to that alteration, you could take action against them.

What is the cost of hiring a product liability lawyer?

When you turn to a Chicago product liability lawyer with Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. We work on what’s known as a contingency basis, which means you won’t pay us a dime unless we achieve a successful outcome on your behalf. If we’re successful, we’ll receive a percentage of the compensation you receive from a settlement or jury award.

Our Chicago product liability lawyer can help.

Product liability takes considerable expertise and money to be successfully prosecuted. Under Illinois product liability law, you can recover damages for pain and suffering, disability, lost wages, disfigurement, and future pain and suffering.

At Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates, we offer free telephone or in-person consultations to discuss any questions regarding a product that you may have. Contact us online or call (800) 985-1819 to schedule your consultation today.